Survival Game, Book 1: The Fool

Act Three: Chapter Nineteen

    She meant people when she spoke of snakes, didn't she? Kris continued to try to wrap her head around what her mentor had told her. Why'd she have to say it in some code? If she meant exposing Satsuki, why didn't she just say so?! And that last thing... snakes who betray their own kind get killed. Does she mean my blog? How could she have known I was planning to write about the Survival Game? Her head began to ache at the whirling thoughts. I'll write it down later and try to decipher it that way. Maybe it'll make better sense.
    "There, that should do it." The nurse who'd been treating her had finished wrapping up her injured leg and arm. "Kakiuchi-san didn't use poisonous snakes, so there wasn't any venom. Just keep the wounds clean and dressed daily and it'll heal up." He explained before leaving her by herself. He'd seated her on one of the beds the infirmary offered, the second in a row of four. The first and third beds were unoccupied, while the fourth laid a gruff looking man with long black hair, dressed in a blue shirt and pants similar to the uniforms a hospital gave its patients. He laid on the bed uncomfortably, his muscular size and tall stature making it a tight fit for him. He hadn't spoke, but Kris assumed from his glazed eyes that he had been given medicine for his injuries, and eventually the man fell into an uneasy sleep as the medicine took effect.
    "Hey, Kris." A new voice joined the two as another figure entered the room and Kris recognized the thick black hair and tall stature of Kouji. He was limping on one leg and one sleeve of his jacket was stained in blood. "I see you've been put through hell too, huh?" He observed as he placed himself onto the bed next to hers and the nurse from before tended to his injuries. "What happened to you?" He asked, grimacing as the nurse prodded at the wound on his leg.
    "Snake bites. Apparently that's her power, from what I gather." Kris replied softly, glancing over at the man in the fourth bed. "He looks worse than both of us. I wonder what happened to him..." She'd considered asking him before, but thought better of it in the end. "He must be Nakahara's or Shimamura's mentor, since he's been here before either of us."
Kouji followed her direction to glance at the man himself. "Shimamura's." He concluded. "Nakahara's mentor was my mentor's brother. And unless he changed appearances and Yukimura became much older, that's not him."
    "That's Tatsuya Orimoto." The nurse answered their questions. "He's been alongside Kimura-san for 13 years and took her in when she moved to Tokyo at 15 years old. Apparently she'd gotten accepted into some prestigious school and her family shipped her off from Osaka. He took her in afterwards." He spoke with a slight tension, as if he felt it was inappropriate to speak about his supervisor like that. "Anyway, Orimoto-san is said to be a descendant of a samurai clan. He takes it seriously too. He's not a bad guy though, don't worry." He paused, not wishing to say more until he'd finished treating Kouji's injuries. "That should be it. You should be thankful, honestly. Yukimura-san must've went easy on you. I'm sure you don't think so, but her training style isn't that bad as long as her brother isn't involved. One mention of him would get your leg cut off."
    Hard to believe there's actually siblings like that... Kris thought with bitter indignation. They must be closer in age. Or just closer in general. She didn't even notice the nurse had left until Kouji turned to her. "Hey," He began uncertainly. "we still have an hour until this meeting they were talking about, don't we? So, how'd you like to go somewhere with me? I know this ramen restaurant not far from here and the owner would give us a discount. And if it's not your thing, he has other stuff on the menu. I'd ask the others to come too, but... they don't really seem like the type I'd hang out with."
    "Oh, uh, sure." She reluctantly agreed. We're coworkers now, so it'd be an insult if I said no... "Do you think that kind of thing is allowed though? The test is over, but won't they see it as forfeit?"
Kouji thought for a moment before replying, "I'd asked Yukimura before coming here and she said it was fine. Or at least I think she did. She didn't seem to care. Besides, we'll be back before an hour." He reassured her, standing up from the bed. Kris followed reluctantly as he led them out of the infirmary door and down the hallway before stopping at the elevator. Maybe it won't be so bad. I can get more details for my blog. She thought. If I continue it, that is... She wasn't sure what caused her newfound uncertainty, but as she exited the building alongside Kouji, she kept thinking of Miho's warning.